The Chochmat Nashim Podcast: Women Talk Judaism

Where have all the women gone? Shoshanna, Anne, and Rachel put a finger on the pulse of the dangerous trend of erasing women from Jewish publications in the name of "religion." Music; "Misery" by The Whips

How kol isha - the restrictions on hearing a woman's voice - affects the way Jewish women sing, speak, and express themselves. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

What happens when you're on the outs of the Jewish community? When your demographic excludes you from the pale? What happens when you are exactly the norm? Chochmat Nashim explores the complexity of today's society, and how we just need to be normal about it all. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

Rabbi Dr. Seth Farber of ITIM understands the complex workings of religion and state in Israel better than most. He sat down with Shoshanna and Anne to talk about what's good, what's bad, what's broken, and - perhaps surprisingly - the importance of a chief rabbinate for a Jewish state. Music: "Misery" by the Whips

Adina Miles, AKA "Flatbush Girl," started a business and soon found herself knee deep in what people thought a good Orthodox woman should and should not be doing. Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll speaks with her about making change from within the Orthodox community, and how her special brand of activism uses shock to "make the mess" that Chochmat Nashim cleans up. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

The documentary 93Queen tells the story of Judge Ruchie Freier and her all-women ambulance corps, an unlikely story of women's empowerment coming from an even more unlikely quarter: the hasidim of Brooklyn. Chochmat Nashim sits down with the film's creator, Paula Eiselt, to talk about the hurdles and downright nastiness the women overcame, as well as what it means to enter the hasidic world with a...

Local elections in Israel brought a record number of women to positions of authority. With the Rambam saying women can't be in charge of just about anything, it sounds like a lot of people who care about Halakhah might need to move. Join Chochmat Nashim as we discuss just what is "serara" anyway, and the question of a dominant leadership in contemporary society. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

Artificial Reproductive Technologies have made all kinds of things possible - starting with children who would not have been born. With innovation, comes halakhic response. And, in the case we discuss, rabbinic overreach, thanks to Israel's lack of separation of religion and state. Shoshanna, Rachel, and Anne consider what it means to be a parent when the state wants to taint your child (as well a...

The Haredi world has a 70% lower incidence of breast cancer than the general population, but a 30-50% higher mortality rate from the disease. How is this possible? What can be done to reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer among the Haredi population? Join Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll, Anne Gordon, and Rachel Stomel to discover the reasons for the problem, the ways that it can be confronted, wh...

Shoshanna, Anne and Rachel make use of the popular conversational technique (that's what it meant in our high school) to dissect the "Kavanaugh effect," the discourse leading up to his Supreme Court confirmation, and how it has reflected on the Jewish community. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

Chochmat Nashim is still on summer hiatus, but we'll be back after the chagim with brand new episodes of the Chochmat Nashim Podcast. In the interim, listen to this classic episode from last year. Rabbi Chuck Davidson explains to Chochmat Nashim the ins and outs of conversion in the State of Israel, with its large population of non-halakhically Jewish Jews. Yes, really. Music: "Misery" by The Whip...

In some ways, it's a cause for celebration: an aguna for 18 years is finally released by a religious court. On the other hand, despite the fact that an Orthodox beit din has annulled the marriage, that decision has no effect whatsoever - none! - upon her legal status in Israel. Doesn't that violate the principle that the decisions of a valid beit din are accepted, even if other rabbis disagree wit...

What happens when women are tired of conceding to the sensibilities of men? We get cranky, that's what... or at least some of us do. Listen as Shoshanna, Anne and Rachel get in a heated debate sparked by two incidents of gender segregation this week. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

It's one thing to combat extremism in theory, but what should we do when the extremist is someone whom we love? Which value - tolerance, love, religious belief - should determine our reaction? When should we engage, and when must we cut off the avenues of conversation? And how do we balance our desire to educate our children, with the need to respect their opinions, even when we strongly disagree?...

A recent Religious Zionist conference was women-free, by design. Chochmat Nashim asks whether we are ready to reevalute the premise of religious hierarchy. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

When a member of the RCA and the US Yeshiva community questioned the validity of Yoatzot Halacha, Chochmat Nashim engaged on their turf, creating a valuable window of understanding and consensus in an otherwise polarized climate. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

The salvation of the Children of Israel, no less, came about because women were heard. This is, of course, Chochmat Nashim's raison d'etre -- the idea that the world changes for the better simply by virtue of women's presence and participation. Consider the women of the Passover story: Miriam, Yocheved, Pharaoh's daughter, and the valiant midwives, among still others. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

You've probably heard of the halachic prenup as a solution to the agunah problem, so why are we still stuck with agunot? Who is responsible? Chochmat Nashim delves into the politics, social attitudes and progression of the halachic prenup today. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

Humor, satire and snark are favorite Jewish pastimes. Chochmat Nashim explores why humor packs such a punch. Happy Adar! Music: "Misery" by The Whips

When is segregation okay - if ever? Anne, Shoshanna and Rachel explore a hot topic in Israel: state sponsored sex segregation in universities. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

Will Israel really name a train station at the Kotel for US President Trump? Chochmat Nashim weighs in at the Jewish Covfefe House. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

When "modesty signs" instructing women how to dress were used as justification for assault against women and girls in Beit Shemesh, a number of residents sued for discrimination - and won. But within hours of the signs coming down, new ones had taken their place. Chochmat Nashim weighs in on how this court case signifies the turf wars between Israel's ultra-Orthodox and the rest of Israeli society...

On Rosh Hashanah, we dip apples in honey for a sweet new year, and some have the custom to include many edible "signs" (simanim) for the year to come. Rachel, Shoshanna, and Anne consider what are these "simanim" in Judaism -- idolatry? hocus pocus? prayer? -- and come to some interesting conclusions about Jewish unity. Music: "Misery" by The Whips

Extremism is a growing phenomenon in Orthodox Judaism, and this is perhaps most obvious in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh. What can be done to counteract extremism? Is the excuse that, "The extremists are a tiny minority of our community" valid? And are we as vocal about extremism in our own sub-communities as we are when it appears elsewhere? Join Rachel Stomel, Anne Gordon, and Shoshanna Keats...

Rabbi Chuck Davidson explains to Chochmat Nashim the ins and outs of conversion in the State of Israel, with its large population of non-halakhically Jewish Jews. Yes, really. Music: "Misery" by The Whips